Lasting-shell and upper-protector.



C. H. NIOKERSGl-I, LASTING SHELL AND UPPER PRGTEGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY ll, 19147.

Franja-EL LASTNG-Sl-IELL AND UPPER-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

ratei-atea non o, isis.

Application led May 11, 1914. Serial No. 837,644.

To all wb om it may Gomera,

lle. it known that I, CHAnLEs-l. NICKER- son, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Derry, in the county of Rocking ham and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Lasting-Shells and Upper-Protectors, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 1

The purpose oill this invention isthe construction of a shell which can he applied upon a shoe-upper after the latter has received 'the last, in order both to protect such uppers against being soiled or otherwise am. to secure the uppers in place on heier-ring tothe drawings forming'part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shell embodying iny invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of an upper secured in place upon a last by the shell. Fig. 3 is a cross section of a last, upper and shell. if is a side elevation or" shell, an upper and a cloth protector, the latter heilig in section. Fig. 5 is a. perspective View of the `tastening; device used in connection with the shell. liie. is a plan view of another form oi the shell.

r"he shell which constitutes the main iortion of rny invention, may, when deed to he used for protecting white or uppers, he formed from press board and if like; hut in case it is to he employed for l i purposes or hoth fastening and T e to have it inade from The preferred forni i prefri' as sheet steel. |4.i', 'i.',i 1in'.

o.. ou shell, which is snown in nig. l, confor-ins in shape to the lower portion o a shoe, hut out in a vertical line at the l el and united the toe. The entire lower edge oi the shell is curve-d slightly inward, a shown in Fig. E, so that when the saine is clamped aiooute` last 2, the latter is firmly held. ri"he reference numeral l designates said inc rved fin upper s having heen applied to a 1last 2 in the usual manner, the shell lis spread enough to have its incurved edges 3 pass 'the 'wider portions of last and to present said edges ilush with thi. hot'toin of the last. it heel, 5 and 6,

re t ien forcibly i toward each other ntil the shell is iii' clamping the upper ietweon and th The ineens illustr. for thus di *ing the edges 5, 6y toward each other, and shown in Figs. l, 2,

- last.

and 5, consists of ay section of strongspring wire having its intermediate section formed into a helix 7, one terminal section 8 formed with an eye 9 and the other terminal section l() formed with a hook 11. Said eye isl at tached to the wing 1Q of said shell in any suitable way, as by a rivet 13, while the looked terminal can be engaged with any one of the plurality of rivets lll projecting from the wing l5.

After the upper has heen firmly clamped upon the Alast by means of the shell l, the sole can he attache to the upper in any of the well known ways, but without tacking the edges of the upper to thelast. For instance, this perinits of a stitch-down shoe hef ing made; a flexible shoe without insole; a welt shoe; a turn shoe, and a Goodyear welt shoe. lt also permits a fair-stitch to loe made.

Equally as valuable is the function of protection performed hy means of this lasting shell, for which purpose the shell may lic composed of sonie cheaper mate lial, as the press hoard already referred to. For protecting low shoes, the shell alone is suiiicient, but for high lace or button shoes, such as shown in Fie'. 4, a oloth 16 is first placed oif'erff the upper, with its edges reaching well down" over the sides of the foot, after which the shell l is applied, and by its grip upon the ed'fes of said cloth, fast-ens the latter in place as well as the upper itself. lter stitching the sole and upper together, and finishing,` up 'the saine, the shell and cloth are removed and used over again any nu1n' her of times.

ln the ordinary manner or shielding white and tan shoes, wherein the cloth is stitched to the upper, and cut away after the shoe is finished, such cloth has tothe thrown away, and in addition considm-ahlc worlr requires to he expended in picking out the threads. My shell, hence, permits the shoe to he thoroughly protected at comparatively no expense. i

Although l prefer to have the shell 1 separable at the heel as above described, the heel section 2O and the toe section 2l may be slidahly united, as shown in Fig. (3 and said parts drawn together hy tension springs 22.

The main value oit my nivention when used for the lastingof a shoe, is that the upper is drawn down to the last and held securely, ready to make ay stitch down, turn Toll@ or Welt shoe without the use of an inner sole or the use of any tacks. l

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a shoe last, of a shell snugly fitting the lateral surface thereof but leaving the under surface exposed, said shell being cut apart on a vertical line, and means for forcibly drawing toward each other the edges of said cut she 2. The combination with a last, of a shell inclosing the sides thereof but leaving the under surface of the last exposed, the heel of said shellbeing cut lapart'on a vertical line, said'shell having means for forcibly 'drawing toward each other the edges of 15 CHARLES H. NICKERSON.'

Witnesses:

E. R. EMERY, WARREN E. NICKERSON. 

